


Shadows of the Past

by tiger9in1



Series: Malakardi [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Flashbacks, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:20:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23292343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiger9in1/pseuds/tiger9in1
Summary: This is a variation of the Persona 5 game involving several world-hopping characters, including several aliens disguised as humans, visiting the Persona 5 world temporarily on a mission. Basically, its before the beginning of the game ending between Futaba's palace and Okumara's.Malakardi is an alien hybrid girl who transferred to Shujin Academy a month before the events of Persona 5 because she needs a cure for her friend Aksoren. Along the way, she befriends the Phantom Thieves and learns from them what it means to be human.
Series: Malakardi [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1824058
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

Malakardi looked around the apartment where she and her mentor, Kendara, would be living for the following year. It was incredibly tiny; one living room, one bedroom scarcely bigger than a closet, and a bathroom. Kendara, a tiny person even in her natural Kaladi form and only slightly bigger now as a human, nodded in satisfaction at Malakardi’s hung hammock and neat pile of belongings underneath. Many were books, with a few blankets and clothes. Kendara’s own meager pile rested in another corner. Aside from the stove and fridge, the room was bare of furniture. That helped make the lack of space bearable, to Malakardi’s mind at least. And clean, besides.

  
“No use taking up more space than we need,” said Kendara.

“I wish it wasn’t in the city,” said Malakardi. Crowds and noises made her nervous.

  
“That’s where they are,” said Kendara, “Or will be, I should say.” She patted Malakardi’s arm comfortingly. “Don’t worry, we’ll find a cure for him here.”

  
Malakardi sighed and looked at the bedroom door, which was closed. She didn’t want to think about why they were here, even for a cure. Behind that door, her best friend Aksoren slept in a catatonic state. The crystal healers on Thetis had placed him into a long dreamless sleep, but they couldn’t cure his mental agitation. That’s why she, Kendara, and Inira had brought him here, to this world in 21st century Tokyo. Somewhere out there, in the city, a cure awaited them, if only they could find it. And Malakardi knew, even before the Speaker told her, that she had to help with his cure, because Aksoren’s mental problems revolved around her. She squirmed inside when she thought about what he had seen, and felt guilty. She hadn’t been able to tell him then who she really was, a traveler between worlds. If he’d known, maybe things could have been different. She had only been trying to protect him, after all.

  
“It will be fine,” said Kendara, patting Malakardi’s arm again. Her cheerful grandmotherly face crinkled at the eyes as she smiled, her crystal’s powers lifting Malakardi’s mood somewhat. “Everything will work out, it always does.”

  
“Do you know more than you’re telling?” said Malakardi.

  
Kendara beamed. “I know almost everything, you know.”

  
Malakardi laughed. “You’re such a tease!”

  
Kendara shape-shifted back into Kaladi form, and peered at her through long yellow eyestalks. Their movement conveyed more to Malakardi of love and support than human expressions often did. They also performed a Kaladi sharing gesture, where Kendara offered memory fluid which Malakardi pressed to her forehead. She didn’t have receptors there in human form, obviously, but the meaning was clear.

  
“I wish I could feel your thoughts for real”, she said wistfully. “I never could.”

  
Kendara nodded in sympathy. Malakardi was a hybrid, only half-Kaladi. Her emotional receptors worked fine on Kaladi, but her thought receptors worked instead on Halim, her father’s species, who were large silver reptilians. They didn’t normally learn that way, and that had caused her problems on both sides.

  
“It’s time for bed now,” said Kendara. “I’ll take you to school tomorrow. Don’t forget, while you’re here, your name is Marika Hiraoka.”

Marika. ‘Summer ocean’, if the kanji was right. She wouldn’t be forgetting that anytime soon.

As Kendara turned out the light, Malakardi climbed into her hammock. She was nervous, but allowed herself to be the tiniest bit hopeful. _I’ll help you, Aksoren_ , she thought. _I’ll find the cure for you._


	2. Chapter 2 Intro

The next day, Kendara helped her navigate the trains, and introduced her at Shujin Academy.

“I am Kimiko Hiraoka, and this is my granddaughter Marika,” said Kendara. “I believe you were expecting us?”

“Yes,” said Principal Kobayakawa. He looked over the papers in front of him. “It’s unusual for a student to transfer in so near the end of term.”

“Indeed. But as I explained in the letter, our family circumstances changed abruptly. Surely you understand.”

“Of course,” said the principal, turning to Malakardi. “My condolences for your mother’s death.”

The breath caught in Malakardi’s throat. She had forgotten that was part of the cover story. Although her mother had actually died a long time ago, the wound had never really healed. She nodded painfully. She paid little attention as the principal turned back to Kendara.

"...You understand, of course, she’ll still have to take exams with the other students. We can’t make an exception for her circumstances.”

Kendara nodded in satisfaction. “I would expect nothing less. But Marika’s a smart girl. She’ll do fine, won’t you, Marika?”

Malakardi nodded absently, as Kendara put a comforting hand on her arm. “Here’s her student ID,” said the principal. “She starts tomorrow.”

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Malakardi settled into her new classes well. She didn’t mind doing a bit of studying to catch up, even if it meant taking finals. In reality, she was older than many of the students, not that time mattered on missions like these, but that didn’t make the assignments any easier for her. Many were over brand-new topics.

She didn’t expect to make friends. She had never been good at it, not like her friend Inira. But the people around her seemed friendly, at least. Maybe it was possible.

She wondered if part of it had to do with her appearance. Her natural form was long and dark green, lizard-like, with orange eyes on long eyestalks. As a hybrid, she looked nothing like anyone she knew, and had suffered a lot of bullying in school. Here in this classroom, very little about her physical appearance stood out. Medium-length brown hair, dark green eyes, a pleasant ordinary-looking face, a slender average frame. The only noticeable thing was a slightly darker shade to her skin than normal, so subtle it looked like a tan. She had insisted on that contribution, for she had wanted to exert a little bit of her identity, even in a new body.

During lunch, she looked across the room at Inira, who was busily chatting with some other girls already, though she had only started a week before. Unlike Malakardi, Inira was strikingly beautiful, with long black hair, high cheekbones and deep blue eyes. Also unlike Malakardi, it was her natural look. Inira was human, and had always possessed a natural charm and persuasive gift around people of any species.

They had made an agreement that they wouldn’t speak to each other for two months, at least on school grounds, so they wouldn’t appear to be together. There was no reason why anyone would connect the two of them, since they were not only placed in different classrooms but different years as well. They weren’t even living together, as Inira had found her own separate quarters closer to the school. As Kendara explained, they were to gather the information they could from two separate social circles, who wouldn’t open up if they overlapped. _Meaning I’d cramp Inira’s style_ , thought Malakardi with a scowl. Even though she knew the purpose, it annoyed her that Inira acted like she didn’t exist. It brought with it too many painful memories.


	3. Chapter 3

The day of the end-of-year volleyball rally started out fairly normal. Malakardi didn’t know much about it, but knew enough by now to know that volleyball was considered a big deal here. Everyone talked about it a lot; how the gym teacher Kamoshida was an Olympic medalist, how the school team was destined for nationals, and how students on the team got first priority for colleges. Malakardi didn’t care much, but was curious in spite of herself. Crystal Academy didn’t have sports teams.

Everyone wore identical red and white uniforms, and the non-participating students sat off to the side to watch. Malakardi took note of the net and the ball, trying to figure out the rules. She was impressed by how gracefully the players moved, especially Kamoshida, who did much of the demonstrating himself. He moved like he knew what he was doing. But as she continued to watch him hit the ball over the students’ heads, she saw a gleam in his eyes. He was getting more and more aggressive too, and inadvertently she shrank back. Her bullies had that look, and so did another student at Crystal Academy. His crystal was red, for mind control. She shuddered a bit.

She watched as Kamoshida leaped into the air, throwing every ounce of force behind the ball. She watched the ball’s trajectory as it flew directly toward a boy in the back of the court. And she watched as the ball landed, with sickening force, on the boy’s face. He crumpled to the ground.

An image flashed into Malakardi’s brain, of a small catlike boy with short yellow fur, writhing in agony as a similar boy with white fur and a black face towered over him. His red crystal glowed at his throat as he wrenched the smaller boy’s crystal away, the air around them glowing and crackling with electricity as power surged between them.

She leaped to her feet, both in horror and in anger. She rushed forward to where the boy lay. Now that she saw him up close, she recognized him from her class. His limp form tore at her heart. Already Kamoshida was sprinting forward. Malakardi crouched defensively beside the boy.

“Stay back!”, she shouted. Every hair on her head stood on end, and she snarled, “Don’t touch him!”

Kamoshida slowed down, puzzled, and the auditorium buzzed with voices. Malakardi looked back down at the boy, and only then seemed to realize where she was. She wasn’t at the Crystal Academy, watching Srenya Wrendiss betray them and hurt her friend Saras. This was a different world, a world of humans, a world without magic. And she…

Her face flushed red with embarrassment. She placed her hands under the boy’s arms and struggled to lift him. He looked unconscious. Other students moved forward, cautiously, and Malakardi gently set him down and stepped back, allowing them to approach. She wanted to disappear into the floor. Two other students carried him away, and Malakardi left after them, following at a discreet distance. She heard them clearly as they whispered among themselves.

“Whoa, what’s up with that girl, she’s psycho! Is she Mishima’s girlfriend or something?”

“Him? Not a chance! She’s new, from what I hear.”

“Think that’s why she transferred? Because she snapped?”

The second boy shrugged. “Maybe. It’s possible.”

“Poor Mishima’s had a rough season, huh? This is the third time…”

Their voices faded out as Malakardi stopped walking. She hid her face in her hands. What had happened? She hadn’t thought about Srenya in years. That all happened ages ago. What was wrong with her?

The cheers from the gym continued, but Malakardi didn’t want to go back. She went up to the third floor and hid in the bathroom until the rally ended.

_________________________________

After the buzz of activity outside died down, she made her way downstairs and down the hall to the PE faculty office. She wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t even sure if he’d still be there. Carefully, she opened the green door. “Hello?”

“Huh?” said Kamoshida. He turned around, and glared as she recognized her. “It’s you.”

Malakardi took a step inside. “I"m sorry.” She bowed her head. “What I did was out of line.”

Kamoshida looked her up and down. “Come in.”

Malakardi came in and took a seat, while Kamoshida stood up and closed the door, locking it.

“Marika, is it? Tell me what happened,” he said.

“I…I’m not sure,” said Malakardi. “I remembered something from my past.”

“Had a rough life?”

Malakardi smiled. “Something like that.”

“And you’re new. Why’d you move here?”

Malakardi shrugged. “Family situation.” She began to feel a prickle of danger.

“I see.” Kamoshida got up and paced around the room, in front of the door. “It must be hard, making friends at a new school.”

Malakardi’s face fell, and Kamoshida smiled. “You think about trying out for the team? There’s much we could offer each other.” He stepped uncomfortably close, and leered.

Malakardi shook her head, feeling a shiver down her spine.

“You sure?” Kamoshida put a hand on her waist, and Malakardi jumped out of her chair and turned around. Kamoshida stepped closer as Malakardi stepped back, until she was standing with her back flat against the door. Every part of her flesh shrunk away from his touch, but he grabbed her shoulder. “Such a pity.”

He dragged her closer, one of his fingers brushing too close to an old scar on the side of her neck. Malakardi yowled in pain and kicked him in the shin. He yelled and stepped back, snarling. In desperation, she lunged for the door. To her surprise, it sprung open instantly and without hesitation she darted through the crack, narrowly missing Kamoshida’s hand.

The hallway, and the stairs, flew by in a blur. She picked up speed, crouching low to the ground almost instinctively, and for a moment she imagined herself in her old body, running and leaping on all fours. Out of the side of her eye she might have seen another person, but she didn’t stop to look. In sheer terror she ran, her heart pounding, her shoes thumping, until she arrived at the train station.


	4. Chapter 4

Her heart slowed down by the time she reached home, but didn’t fully stop until she climbed safely into her hammock. When Kendara returned from the flower shop, she discovered her curled up and shaking.

“Here,” said Kendara, climbing up and hugging her, “Tell me everything.” She listened patiently to Malakardi’s story, giving her more hugs.

“I’m not going back,” said Malakardi, her voice muffled in Kendara’s arms. “You can’t make me go back, I can’t, I won’t!”

“You don’t have to go tomorrow,” said Kendara quietly. “Or the next day. But you will go back.”

“Why?” said Malakardi desperately. “It will be just the same. Worse!”

“You don’t know that,” said Kendara. “This isn’t Crystal Academy, and you’re not the same scared little girl.” She patted Malakardi’s arm, and squeezed it gently. “I know it hurts, _mirikayan_. I understand. But you’ve come a long way. I’m proud of you.”

Malakardi remained silent, taking that in. Proud? She hadn’t done anything to be proud of, not here. But Kendara was right. She had come a long way. She had been on many adventures and fought numerous battles, against much scarier foes than a gym teacher. “I’ll go back tomorrow,” she said at last. Kendara smiled and patted her shoulder. “That’s my girl.”

_________________________________

Many times, the next day, Malakardi regretted going back. Everyone in the school, up one hallway and down another, seemed to have nothing else to talk about but Marika the transfer student, Marika the psycho girl. Besides her outburst at the rally, all kinds of rumors swirled around what she did at her old school; everything from psychotic ravings to drug abuse, even criminal activity.

Malakardi barely focused on her lessons all day. The rumors didn't stop, inside the classroom or out. At lunch, she sat by herself, at the furthest corner she could. Occasionally, she glanced over at Inira, who was listening intently to a girl next to her. Inira’s bright, interested smile hurt worse than anything else in this miserable day. She remembered that awful day, years ago now, when her bullies, the Halim girls, dragged her away to hit her. She had looked at Inira, her friend, begging her for help, and Inira had turned away. That day…she didn’t want to think about it.

It was a relief when class finally ended, giving Malakardi a chance to sprint away from the school and its intolerable rumors. She ran for the train station, only then unsure where to go. Kendara wouldn’t be home this early, and she’d be busy at work. A pang of loneliness spread through Malakardi. For the first time in ages, she felt alone, abandoned. Had anything changed since she was in school, still bullied, still different? She had hoped so, desperately; now she wasn’t so sure.

Hoping for somewhere quiet, she boarded the train, heading for Inokashira Park. Once she got there, she relaxed. Here’s what she hoped for; grass under her feet, smells of fresh air and growing things, so like and so unlike home. Upon seeing the lake, she stared at it longingly, wishing she had the nerve to take off her clothes and swim. She always felt more relaxed while swimming, as she always did at home. Kaladis were water people, first and foremost; swimming in the ocean aboard their rafts or climbing up in the trees. With great reluctance, she tore herself away from the lake, resolving to come back later.

She found a spot in the park, on a bench out of view. She sighed, brooding over the day. She might as well study to distract herself, she thought. She opened her bag, and discovered a wrapped bulky package. Curious, Malakardi pried loose the paper. Inside were two wrapped books, “The Art of Travel” and “The Maze in the Heart of the Castle”. A wrapped white envelope sat atop these two, and Malakardi opened it first.

To Malakardi, my weary wanderer,

I know you feel lost, _mirikayan_ , but you are never alone. May these books help you find your way.

Much love,

Kendara

In spite of herself, Malakardi smiled. Kendara knew her so well. What was it about books, the one gift she could never refuse? She smiled as she remembered “The Maze in the Heart of the Castle”. She had read it long ago. She knew why Kendara had suggested it. The book provided a way to journey through loss and grief, and when she was bullied before, this book had helped to save her. Remembering that comforted her, even without opening it. She started with “The Art of Travel”, which was unknown to her, quickly losing herself in its pages.

She came home at dusk, in a decidedly cheerful mood. She greeted Kendara with a hug, and continued to read through their simple meal. She did stop long enough to tell Kendara what happened, but spent far longer telling her about the book.

“So, in this book, he says when you see something in art that you admire, you can learn to appreciate the same thing in reality.”

“Indeed?” said Kendara.

“Yes, just like Van Gogh painted movement and bright colors in Provence, which no other artist had. Did you know no one thought England was beautiful until artists painted the landscapes?”

“Interesting,” said Kendara, affectionately. “Maybe we should visit an art museum soon. But right now, it’s time for bed.”

“Just a little more? I’m not finished.”

Kendara smiled, pleased to see her charge so happy after a difficult day. “Okay, a few more minutes. What else did the writer say about Van Gogh?”


	5. Chapter 5

The next day passed in a flash. With her book to read, Malakardi barely paid attention to the murmurs around her. She had a new mission; learning how to travel. She avoided everyone in school, to the extent that she could, and charged out the door the instant the bell rang.

That day, she bought colored pencils and drawing paper. One chapter toward the end of the book had caught her attention, about John Ruskin. He believed it was important for everyone to learn to draw in order to learn to see the beauty of the world around them. Anyone could look and appreciate something, but most only looked at it for a few minutes. To really capture something beautiful, he said, it was important to draw it, for the act of drawing required you to look at it in detail, for a long time. And most importantly, it allowed you to process what about the object caught your attention.  
Even that might not have been enough to for Malakardi to start, except for one other thing John Ruskin had said, that it didn’t matter if you were good at drawing or not. That even if your drawing skill was extremely limited, the act of drawing itself would still teach you how to see. Even Ruskin himself didn’t think he was very good.

Over the next few days, she drew various things that caught her attention; statues, shops, even the sky. It proved much more difficult to focus so much attention on something than she first thought; it took at least 20 minutes to draw something simple to her satisfaction, and several hours to attempt more complex subjects. Still, she kept at it, because she felt herself noticing more details in her surroundings as a result. She barely got through her exams, but once they ended and school let out for a few weeks, she spent entire days drawing. It felt familiar to her, somehow, but she couldn't remember why.

Thus inspired, Malakardi found herself sitting against the wall of the Shibuya underground, focusing on the bright-colored columns, glad she brought her colored pencils. She had chosen the station because of another chapter, this one about Baudelaire. He was a writer unhappy at home, but ambivalent about travel. He loved train stations and shipyards because they provided the promise, the fantasy, of lands beyond without risking disappointment. “Anywhere, anywhere, as long as it is out of this world.” She definitely shared the longing to escape her current life, and hopping on a train provided that fantasy as well as anything else. But gazing at the columns, she realized how beautiful they were, how elegant, like the Egyptian temple at Karnak. She set to work.  
She had finished one column, and was lightly shading it, when she heard a voice beside her ask, “Are you an artist?”

  
Startled, she turned her head and looked up. Standing next to her was a young man, elegantly dressed in a white shirt and black pants. She quickly rose to her feet. She noticed he was tall; her head barely came up to his shoulder. He had navy hair and gray eyes.

  
“My apologies for startling you,” he said. “I haven’t seen anyone draw here before.”

  
“I just started this week.” She showed him the drawing, staring at the ground. “It’s not very good.”

  
He took the drawing and looked over it thoughtfully. “It’s not bad.” Then a thought crossed his mind. “Where are my manners? My name is Yusuke Kitagawa.”

  
Malakardi smiled. “My name is Mala-no, Marika Hiraoka.” She thought a moment. “Are you an artist?”

  
Yusuke nodded. “Indeed. I’m a second-year at Kosei High’s fine-arts division. I’m Madarame-sensei’s pupil, and I am being allowed residence at his place.”

  
“Oh.” Malakardi hadn’t heard of Madarame before, but Earth studies only got her so far.

  
“May I ask what’s that?” said Yusuke, pointing to the book in her hand.

  
Malakardi was a little startled to see she was still holding her book. She had been using it as a surface for her drawing. She smiled. “This book,” she said, holding it up proudly, “is why I started drawing. It’s called ‘The Art of Travel’.”

  
And, just as at home, she began explaining why the book intrigued her so much. “And John Ruskin said in order to capture beauty in the world, you can remember it better if you draw it. It doesn’t even matter if its good or not, because the act of drawing itself teaches you how to see.”

  
“Hmm. I hadn’t thought about it before. Intriguing.”

  
Malakardi continued. “…and when you admire something in art, it allows you to appreciate it better when you see it in the world, even if it wasn’t something you’d notice before. Like when Van Gogh went to Provence, he painted the bright primary colors and movements, like the olive trees and cypresses, which no one else had painted before, despite painting there for a hundred years…do you know how cypresses move?”

  
“No, I can’t say that I do.”

  
And she proceeded to explain how the unusual branched movement of cypresses meant they moved in independent bunches in the wind, branching her hands and arms to demonstrate. She couldn’t stop talking, and she didn’t want to. It was like a dam had been building inside of her in the weeks since she started school, and now it was coming loose. Kendara supported her, but it wasn’t the same as having a friend, someone else her own age to talk to, and she realized how much she missed it.

  
She looked away, embarrassed. “Sorry for talking so much. I’m new to the city, and I haven’t made any friends.” _And I definitely won’t now, with those rumors at school_ , she thought. She shrugged. “I guess I’m lonely.”

  
“I, too, am familiar with loneliness.” Yusuke paused. “Now that I think about it, I don’t believe I’ve ever had someone I could simply talk to.”

  
“Friends, then?” said Malakardi.

  
Yusuke smiled. “Friends.” He spoke the word softly, like he wasn’t used to it, but seemed pleased.

  
“What kind of art do you make?” asked Malakardi, curiously. “Could you show me?”

  
Yusuke practically beamed. He removed a sketchbook from a shoulder bag. “I drew these over the last few days.”

  
Malakardi gasped. “These are wonderful! I love how you did all these little details.” She pointed to several quick sketches of people at Shibuya Station. “That’s impressive too. Faces are really hard for me, and were these really drawn in seconds?”

  
“Art is, in large part, observation. I have practiced by drawing people and places in my surroundings.”

  
“That makes sense.” Suddenly, Malakardi blurted out, “Could you teach me?” In response to Yusuke’s surprised look, she added, “I don’t want to be any trouble, but I would like to learn more about art. I could make a trade.” She thought for a moment. “Food, perhaps? That sound fair?”

  
Yusuke chuckled. “It’s a deal.”

  
They exchanged contact info on their phones, and agreed to meet for a lesson later in the next couple days. Malakardi left happier than ever, and much less lonely.


	6. Chapter 6

“You promised him food?” Kendara held onto Malakardi’s arm as they left the flower shop. “How curious.”

“You sound surprised,” said Malakardi. “Why shouldn’t I offer food? Food for lessons is a fair exchange, any of the clan would have done it.”

“We’re not in the clan,” replied Kendara mildly, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “I just wonder if you’re aware what you agreed to.”

“What do you mean, Grandma?”

Kendara smiled, staring at Malakardi. “Be honest. What did you have for lunch today?”

“Just a fish from the market and…Oh.” Malakardi flushed red. She hadn’t really been thinking much about food lately, and fish was so plentiful here. So, she’d taken to buying whole fish from the market and…eating them. Raw. With nothing else.

She hid her face in her hands. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think…”

“I know.” Kendara patted her arm reassuringly as Malakardi lowered her hands. “And you’re right, fish are plentiful. Many people here eat raw fish, though they usually prepare it into sushi first.” Kendara winked at Malakardi’s discomfiture. “Come along, we’re going to the market. I’m sure we can find some simple recipes for that boyfriend of yours.”

“He’s not…”

“Whatever, it doesn’t matter. ‘When in Rome…’, love. If you’re going to eat raw fish, at least you’ll know how to prepare it.” She winked again, and Malakardi chuckled in spite of herself.

“Grandma, are you ever going to act your age?”

“What are you talking about? In Halim years, I’m practically a teenager.”

The two didn’t stop laughing all the way to the market.

_____________________________

The next day, Malakardi winced as the train arrived at the last stop. _Why, why did I agree to this?_ Thanks to the shutdowns, every train was arriving late, some by 20 minutes. And of course, today was the day the lesson had to drag on 5 minutes after the last bell, so she hadn’t had a chance of being early even without the trains. _I could have walked there faster than this_ , she griped as she stood at the platform, although deep down she knew that wasn’t true.

It wasn’t the lesson itself that worried her, even being late didn’t bother her that much. It couldn’t be helped, and surely Yusuke knew that. No, what bothered her was the location itself, Inokashira Park. A beautiful place, to be sure. Too beautiful, and too tempting.

She should have refused when Yusuke suggested it as a good place to view the cherry blossoms. But when the words Inokashira Park came up on her screen, she fairly choked with delight and typed “yes” before she considered the consequences. On her previous visit, she had taken note of the lake and river housed in the heart of the park. Both looked fresh and cold, perfect for a good swim. She had been optimistic enough to think she could go for a quick dip before Yusuke got there, so much she brought her swimsuit and towel in her bag to school. Now instead of enjoying her first art lesson, she was going to be stuck on the shore, obsessing over the swim she couldn’t have. It would be a long afternoon.

She probably wasn’t welcome to swim there anyway. She never understood why bodies of water were off-limits in cities, but she had gotten in trouble for splashing in fountains too many times to ignore the possibility. She had to be cautious. She couldn’t let anyone see her swimming, especially Yusuke.

Humans, she knew by now, could be content with sitting on the shore, looking at the water without a desire to jump into it. She wished it was that simple. She couldn’t detach her love of water any more than she could detach her legs. For all her human appearance, she was still a Kaladi, born and bred. Water was her life, her identity. When she swam, all worries and cares disappeared onto the shore. Water was home.

She finally got off the last station and entered the park. She couldn’t help staring at the river as she walked by. The gentle ripples looked so inviting. She only stopped herself when she thought of the people around her, what they would think. It wouldn’t do to get in trouble now.

She wound her way through the park, admiring the beautiful pink of the cherry blossoms. This was indeed the best time of year to see them. She could see more detail than ever, though she couldn’t come close to drawing each individual blossom.

At last, she found Yusuke sitting at the bench at their predetermined meeting place. And, as luck would have it, it looked out directly onto the largest, deepest part of the lake, with its decorative fountain in the center. She heaved a heavy sigh.

Yusuke looked around as she approached. “There you are,” he said. “Shall we get started?”

“In a minute,” said Malakardi. “I need to catch my breath.” She turned resolutely away from the water. “Sorry I’m late. Were you waiting long?”

“No. The trains were delayed, so I decided to walk. It’s not far from the school.”

That was odd, about the trains. She had heard reports of accidents more often lately. She couldn’t imagine what caused the mental shutdowns, but she put it out of her mind and tried to concentrate. She took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

“Now then,” said Yusuke, getting out pencil and paper while she did the same, “Look at the horizon, at how the water line melds into the line of cherry trees.” He stared at her in astonishment. “Marika, is something wrong?” For Malakardi was noticeably twitching and rocking back and forth on the bench, desperately trying to hold still. She was breathing slowly, trying to calm down, but she was fighting a losing battle.

“ _I can’t do it,”_ she whispered. Louder, she said, “Sorry, excuse me a moment, I’ll be back.”

And before Yusuke could say anything, Malakardi grabbed her backpack and disappeared behind a clump of trees. Faster than she thought possible, Malakardi changed out of her clothes and into her swimsuit, thankful there were no additional people around. Swiftly as the breeze, she darted across the grass and plunged into the water.

The first shock of cold passed quickly into a pleasant coolness, filled with a thousand feathery currents that lapped against her body. It was heavenly. Keeping in mind visitors could look any moment, she breathed in a gulp of air and dived, heading for the deepest park of the lake. There she sat, treading water under the surface, buoyed up by the swirling eddies. She felt calm.

For a few minutes, she drank in the stillness of the moment, how the waves splintered the sunbeams into gleaming patches of light, dancing on and under the surface. When had she last seen that? How long since she’d been in a lake or pond, as opposed to the ocean? She couldn’t remember.

Suddenly, she heard large chaotic splashing coming from the shore, along with the sound of someone shouting. Cautious but curious, she swam closer to hear. “Marika?” called Yusuke’s voice. “ _Marika!”_

He sounded scared.

In a flash, Malakardi realized why. How long had she been underwater? Three, maybe four minutes? A blink of an eye, by Kaladi standards. For humans, …?

Malakardi rushed back to shore. She broke the surface just as she arrived, sending a wave into the grass and startling Yusuke, who was standing knee-deep in the water a few feet away. He yelped and fell backwards into the water. With a single stroke, Malakardi reached him and held out a hand. Both of them arrived back at the shore dripping, Malakardi shaking herself off like a dog. They both collapsed on the bench in silence.

Malakardi spoke first. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She looked over at Yusuke, whose face was white but was regaining its color.

“You never told me…” he said slowly, “that you were Ama.”

“Huh?” she said, confused.

Yusuke explained, slowly, about the Ama women, who were famous for pearl diving. Malakardi laughed and said, “I’ve been called many things, but never that. I’m not a pearl diver, but that sounds fun. I’d like to meet them.”

“I’m sure you would,” said Yusuke, managing a laugh himself. He looked at her with concern. “I thought you drowned.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” said Malakardi, patting him on the arm. “But you don’t need to worry about me. When it comes to the water, I can handle myself. I love it.” She gazed at the water again. “Water is my home.”

They sat in silence a moment longer, and Malakardi remembered she was still wearing her bathing suit, a two-piece Kendara helped her pick out, one with swirling green and yellow patterns. That made her remember an incident, quite a while ago now, involving another boy, and another time and place, where the same thing had happened. She doubled over, cackling with laughter.

“What’s so funny?” asked Yusuke.

She looked at him, and for a moment she saw a cat-boy with orange fur and orange mane. In a second, the image shifted, and she saw that same boy as the gruff man he’d been the Jane Eyre simulation, when the incident happened. She shook her head and giggled softly. The past had been making itself known a lot lately. Had she really learned anything?

“Nothing,” she said. “Just remembering the past.”

_________________________________

She quickly changed back into her regular clothes after that, first promising Yusuke that she wasn’t getting back in the water that day or any time soon. She gave him her towel as well, since she didn’t need it. While he dried off, she picked up her forgotten paper and drew, not the horizon, but a small figure. As she imagined herself explaining her day to Kendara, the lines seem to flow. When she was done, she had a loose drawing of Kendara as she really looked; wide toothy mouth, thin stringy hair, webbed hands and feet. Colored pencils added to the drawing. Dark green body. Bright yellow eyes sat atop long thin eyestalks, and at her throat hung a crystal glowing in shades of pink and yellow. A simple drawing, little more than a cartoon, but Malakardi liked it. It captured both the fun and wisdom she associated with Kendara.

“Interesting,” said Yusuke, and Malakardi jumped. She hadn’t noticed him watching over her shoulder. “Is that a kappa? I’ve never seen one so friendly.”

“Kappa?” said Malakardi, confused. “What are they?”

“You don’t know?”

Yusuke explained the legends behind kappas, how they are considered to drown people or pull other pranks. They could be defeated by tricking them into bowing, as they were polite, and also vulnerable to losing water from a dish on their heads.

Malakardi was interested at the pictures he showed her, which did resemble Kaladi, but she rolled her eyes at the behaviors attributed to them. “They do _what_?” she said, making a face. “That doesn’t even exist!”

“Those are the stories,” said Yusuke. He was smiling at her consternation, which she admitted seemed fair.

“Well, the stories are wrong!” said Malakardi hotly. “They don’t know anything!”

“They don’t? Does that mean you do?”

“As a matter of fact, I do!” said Malakardi. She stopped as she realized what she said, before she giggled again and looked sheepish. “Would you like me to tell you about kappas as I see them?”

“With pleasure.”

So Malakardi began. She described the Kaladi in detail, their culture, their naming system, their double life in the ocean and on land.

“There were rumors about them stealing children in the past,” she admitted. “But those days are long over by now. They only do that during one phase of reproduction, when the females steal the largest eggs they can find from one another. They never meant to harm a child, just raise it as one of their own.” She punctuated that statement with a decisive nod. “That’s why the nesting grounds have supervisors now, older men and women who check every nest and return the lost children.”

“I see,” said Yusuke, amused. “I amend my original statement. You are not Ama after all, you appear to be Kappa.”

Malakardi caught her breath, but then Yusuke laughed, so she laughed too. Let him think it was a joke. It was easier that way, on everyone.

“You want to come back to my house for supper?” said Malakardi. “Grandma and I bought supplies yesterday.”

“Sensei is waiting for me,” said Yusuke, frowning for a second. Then, he added, “Since we didn’t have a lesson, payment isn’t necessary.”

“Tomorrow, then?” said Malakardi. “Somewhere with no water.”

Yusuke smiled at that. “Until we meet again, Hiraoka-chan."

Malakardi grinned. "Call me Kappa-chan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm particularly proud of the first scene with the fish. It's pretty silly, but was really fun to write it, and I think it's pretty emblematic of these characters as a whole. This will be the last update for a while, before I can assemble my notes and patch together what I have. Thanks for reading this far, and there will be more to come.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for reading this far. This is my first-ever fanfic, and I'm really hoping it comes out okay.


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